One of our trips to Barnes & Noble

It seems like twice a week Shayna gets that look in her eye. As parents, you know the look. The look that says, "Hey, I am going to ask you something - and please, please say YES !"

Today that look was on her face at the breakfast table. I asked her what she needed/wanted and she looked at me with the most lovely of faces and asked "Mom, it has been five days since we went to Barnes & Noble last week... can we PLEEEEEAAAASSSSEEEEE make time to go today ?" How do you say no to a child who spends all her money on books and reads them as fast as she does ... loving them immensly !

So, this afternoon off we go to Barnes & Noble in Reston. Shayna goes to the young adult (teen) section to find some new fantasy books. She comes out with a pile of four books and heads with me to the caisher to make her purchase with our homeschooling discount card.

On the way to the caisher, Shayna spots leather bound classic books with gold ribbons that were on sale.

"Mom", she said, "We have got to check these out !". She picks up Grimms Fairy Tales and exuberantly exclaims, "WOW, mom these are the REAL fairy tales without the "Disney like" endings !" Then she has the Complete Works of Shakespeare and Homer's The Illiad and The Odyssey in her pile. After looking seriously through all three of these (and yes there are others she is drooling over... however, I reminded her of her budget at Barnes & Noble that day) she compromises for me to purchase one of them for her. Now, here is where the trouble begins....

S: "Mom I am not sure which one to choose... there are pros and cons to each of them"

E: "Shayna, pros and cons ... what do you mean"

S: "Well, I have a Grimms already - but it isn't leather bound. This is truly a wonderful book that I will pass down to my children. Then Shakespeare... I love the Usborne version of the Stories of Shakespeare... however this is written in 'older English' (as she put it) and that would be hard for me to enjoy. Finally, I love Homer and know the stories of the Illiad and Odyssey so it would be familiar -- however, I would not learn as much as if I got one of the other two."

E: "You are right Shayna that is quite a decision you need to make because it is only ONE of these to add to your pile of four books in your hand already."

S: "Mom, stop making fun of me.... this is HARD ! Probably the hardest decision I have had to make this month"

(I didn't know I was making fun of her - I simply agreed it was a hard decision)

E: "Shayna, why don't I go look at some books for me, so you can make this decision by yourself."

S: "Mom, you are supposed to help me with these hard life choices. By you going to look at books for yourself you are deserting me in my time of need."

Yes, she really did say that ! So, off I walk because I am about to burst into laughter and I simply don't want to add fuel to the fire. Ten minutes later, Shayna has a plan ! She informs me that I am lucky that she is just chosing Homer.... because she has confirmed with the "Information Desk" at B & N that they always have these leather bound books in stock. However, the "deal" is that as soon as she finishes Homer's 1000 plus pages... we will be right back at B & N to pick up another copy because I would be "educationally depriving her" if she didn't own this entire series !

I simply pay for the book and walk out. By the way, she is already (just four hours later) 1/4 of the way through the book. Shayna is positive we will be making another trip to B & N later this week. I wish I owned stock in B & N to get something back for the money I drop there !